Wine enthusiasts enjoy endless discussions about using or not a decanter, the pros and cons of corks and screwcaps, the best brand of home wine cooler and more life-saving amenities, and imagining buying their favourite wine in a kinda “gas station” would seem either blissful or sinful. The first impression you receive entering the magnificent historic facilities of “Produttori Vini Manduria”, the association of wine producers of the area of Manduria, is exactly like approaching a gas station: a number of locals filling handful of 5-liters plastic bottles by pumps offering “secco” (dry), “vivace” (sparkling), “amabile” (semi-sweet) and “moscato” wines produced by the local cooperative and provided by the staff from dispensers humorously mimicking a fuel pump.

Buying local wine “sfuso” (on tap) by a local and personally known producer is a common habit in Italy: these wines do not undergo the refined procedures required for IGT (typical geographical indication), IGP (protected geographical indication), DOC (controlled denomination of origin), DOP (protected denomination of origin) and DOCG (controlled and guaranteed denomination of origin)but are very popular for everyday use and dangerously (for our livers) cheap, being a “zero kilometres” sale without bottling, logistics and distribution costs.

You can participate to the same ritual also in family-run wineries like "Cooperativa Bosco" in nearby Avetrana, where we tasted their excellent "Gladio" Primitivo di Manduria DOC, "Negro" Salento Rosso Negroamaro, a heavenly refreshing "Era" Salento Bianco IGP and a naturally sweet Nonna" Primitivo di Manduria DOC, a robust 17% "grandmother" ideal for sweet dreams after a rich dinner.

In this region of Puglia, all the spotlights are on Primitivo di Manduria, a well structured and full-bodied wine, heavy with pigment and concentration, and high in alcohol thanks to the generous south Mediterranean sun. Primitivo grape traces its lineage from the ancient Phoenicians who sailed from modern-day Lebanon and settled in the province of Apulia (Puglia). Many legends surround this grape: from being the wine served at the Last Supper to the origin of its name, most probably due to its propensity to ripen “primo” (firsts), before all other varietals.

After being used for decades as ameliorative wine, destined to strengthen the famous French and North Italian dockets, Primitivo became very successful in North American wine shops due to its DNA similarities with Zinfandel, and it is now enjoying the international acknowledgement it deserves, thanks to the passionate and continuous activity of individual producers and consortiums.

MS Anna Gennari guided us through the “Museum of Primitivo wine culture” hosted in the renovated underground cellars of Produttori Vini Manduria: an entertaining and stimulating glimpse into the everyday life of the farmers until just a few decades ago, and a time.travel through the wine-making techniques and equipment. Particularly charming are the carriages, on which it is easy to imagine characters from “Il Gattopardo” or “The Godfather”.

The friendly professional sommellier introduced us to 7 of the large portfolio of wines of the Consorzio, our favourite dockets being “Lirica” Primitivo di Manduria, intense and fragrant "Amoroso rose´ and the naturally sweet "Madrigale" Primitivo di Manduria DOCG, perfect with the local soft almond pastries.After stocking up on your favourite bottles, just head towards the sea, stop on the way to grab a melon hurled from a tractor, slide your foot in the door of the local shop going to close for the ritual 3-hours afternoon break and get a few slices of Prosciutto di Parma and fresh mozzarelline or burratine. Your picnic basket is now complete for a swim in “Punta Prosciutto”.

Connoisseurs say that the crystal clear waters and the white sandy beaches of “Punta Prosciutto” (literally “Ham point”) remind a Maldivian or Caribbean paradise, with the benefit of a necklace of historical, artistic and gastronomic pearls. Buon appetito e salute!